{"id":13166,"date":"2017-05-13T08:01:02","date_gmt":"2017-05-13T08:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thetimechamber.co.uk\/beta\/?page_id=13166"},"modified":"2022-07-07T19:41:45","modified_gmt":"2022-07-07T19:41:45","slug":"operational-equipment-earlyaircraft-role","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.thetimechamber.co.uk\/beta\/sites\/roc-posts\/operational-equipment-earlyaircraft-role","title":{"rendered":"Operational Equipment – Early\/Aircraft Role"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this section you will find information and photos of operational equipment used by the Observer Corps in the early aircraft spotting (pre-nuclear) role from\u00a01925 to approx 1956.<\/p>\n

POST INSTRUMENT<\/h2>\n

The Observer Instrument was in use from the mid-1930’s to the mid-1950’s. The initial ‘model’ pre-war was nothing more than a simple pantograph and pointer which was slow and clunky to use. A much improved model manufactured by RB Pullin and Co was introduced in the mid-1930’s that was faster to use and mor e accurate. This new PI underwent various modifications, the main being the addition of a ‘micklethwait’ height corrector (named after Observer Micklethwait who invented it) in 1940\u00a0which vastly improved the height estimation of aircraft. The PI worked by manually tracking the aircraft through the ‘sight’ which moved a pointer indicating on the post chart the location of the aircraft in question. A canvas cover (AM ref No: 6E\/306)was also provided for weather protection for the PI when not in use.<\/p>\n